Love is a Many Splendored Thing
by MikaMckeena
Summary: How much can the soul weep in the loss of its self? Matsumoto Rangiku has wept her tears and has she lost who she is? Can the young captain; Hitusyaga Toshiro help to heal her broken soul and help find herself or does he want to?
1. Choices

Love is a Many-Splendored Thing  
Warning: Lemon and a bit OCC at times so if you don't like it just do not read folks or keep reading and then say you did not read. This is a first for me so be nice and good things like that!?  
Setting: One year after the winter world ends so its a bit A.U from the main time line that is happening in the Manga/Anime.  
Also thanks goes to Jiece Reno for being a good beta reader and working on me with things.

_So fold thyself, my dearest, thou, and slip  
Into my bosom and be lost in me._

_Alfred, Lord Tennyson  
Now Sleeps the Crimson Petal_

One day Before the 29th of September: Prolog

She missed him; it was that simple to see in her eyes that normally shown a bright blue full of a sharp wit and wicked gleam of a edged humor or amusement in her daily life as being the Lieutenant of the Tenth division of the thirteen divisions known only as the Gotei 13. She missed those moments for some time, her friend and former lover that chose to leave the ranks and travel, wandering. Never coming back to her side like he always had so many times before as children, and even not so many days ago. His name still lingered on his lips as his dying kiss that never leaves and echoed deep within the wound of her heart.

Gin Ichimaru.

A year had gone by, her life going by so slowly. Time used to mean nothing in their long lives, and yet now every day seemed only to creep by. And every day she missed him and yearned for her name to be said by his voice, as she lay in his bed as the twilight broke away. She missed how his long fingers would play with her honey colored locks and how he would give a soft smile he kept only for her on those mornings of just them and the world meant nothing. She missed the sound of his heart beat filling her ears after a night of love and passion, and song of his breath filling the room so long after a sea of touches and fire raging in their skins.

Matsumoto Rangiku missed him and silently wept for him every night after that final sight of him dying in her arms. Night after night he came, covered in the blood of the war, and even after deemed a traitor he gave his life so she could live on. He would trace her full lips with those finger tips and whisper her name once more with the song of his breath one last time before fading into the next life to wander where she could not follow him this time, and he not return.

She was often a woman thought to have a light flirt and a strong heart to match a feminine like smile. She was a hell cat in the battle field that rose through the ranks and carried her with an influence many longed to bath in and be part of. She was friend to any seeking one and was trusted with the darkness of hidden things. She was Matsumoto Rangiku in all definitions of her name and filled that name as if it was something derived. Yet she now felt that none these things right, that if anything she was a woman of broken shell and shattered smile if you could creep behind the mask she wore in her every day life. Few could do that now, and they had died to protect her, to the last blade drawn in the battle of the Winter War.

One person could tell the different in the bright smile that shone in all ranges of who she was, as he was her captain and friend; Hitusyaga Toshiro.

The young captain of the tenth had picked up the lost of the bright Venus known as Matsumoto of the ranked division; he had woken to her holding his hand softly in his own of as if she might break the pale skin that fortnight after the war. They had claimed victory, but there were many a lost in their ranks, those who fought for the white fortress and the souls of the living and dead. Honey colored hair fell softly around the angelic face that seemed out of place in their war torn world now, her breath butterfly light on his skin when she breathed and the room smelled of roses after of a spring rain, a scent of Matsumoto Rangiku he had missed all the more these past days in the war. She was clean and pure despite the gore of the world and his center of peace in those moments they could breathe in the company of the other.

She had been with him this whole time while he slept in the rooms of the forth. Never once leaving his side for anyone or thing even when ordered by the commander-general himself; Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryusai. She had stood her ground in the power of the old man and roared like the hell cat she was in caged flesh. "He is my captain and friend, and no one, not even you, can make me leave him old man," he was told. She was a stubborn woman and held her ground to anyone on pure nerves, she was just Matsumoto through and through to the end of all things.

In those weeks after the war, when their world was rebuilding itself like it always did after such things happened, he came to realize one day that the paper work was done.  
She never got the paper work done on time.

He wondered if it was to gain something of him in turn, yet she never talked about it and headed out for a drink with her friends like always.

Then he took note of another odd thing as the weeks turned into a month of spring. He did not find her sleeping on his couch in his office as she had been doing from their first meeting as Captain and Lieutenant. Hitusyaga had just stood in the doorway, looking around for her form. Where was she?

He had gone seeking his Lieutenant out of worry that she might be sick and he found her in her room, working on the paper work as her duties dictated she should do. The conversations had seemed to shallow for his tasting of their normal banter or the energy she seemed also full of to get him to relax a bit in his work or duties as a Captain.

"Matsumoto, are you all right?" His silver brows had knotted and the normal scowl was softened in depth.

She had only ghostly smiled at him, and he had seen clearly that it never reached her eyes. "Of course captain, just doing my work as I should be doing."

Hitusyaga felt something more was wrong, the smile was hollow as where those normally bright eyes. "Are you sure? If you need to talk…"

"Captain, I am fine. Don't worry so much or you'll get wrinkles!" She had only smiled at the light joke while cutting him off from saying any more. "Everything is fine Captain." She had left it at that.

Those days following their talk were just light and simple, the understanding of a Captain in how his Lieutenant should act in the Ranks of the 13. She did her work on time and stopped drinking for the most part save in her own rooms and away from any bonds she had formed or friends. She stopped giving her captain those hugs he yelled at her about, and gone were her childish antics. Matsumoto often seemed to be smiling to those looking on the Venus and thought she was alright and had grown up from the Winter War. Yet inside her soul withered like a flower with out the light, the light of the man she had lost and the burn of having to carry on alone with out him. He saw this, her captain, and missed the joyful woman that lit up his days with that smile she gave to him with a light tease or the touch of her skin for those few moments she captured him in the sea of roses of her scent.

Soon even those light talks become only a few words to each other, simple in their point and lacking the vigor of her tease to him in any form. Many began to worry for her as the weeks flowed into months with a few short blinks of time's eyes that seemed oh so long to her.  
Nanao Ise found herself trying to get the once bright flower out for a shopping trip, but Matsumoto refused, saying she had paper work to do. It was a shock on the proper woman's face in hearing those words from her friend and it hurt all the more as the door slowly closed to cut Nanao off from helping her.

Both Ikkaku and Ayasegawa would stop by in the evenings to her room to get her out for a friendly drink with them as would have been the normal for the three on such pliant spring nights. Yet she only gave them that doll-like smile she used now and said her work had to come first and the training of the new members. The fighters of the Eleventh were left speechless to hear such words from the full lips of the usually enthusiastic drinker.

She missed him; her light of the world seemed nothing with out the man her heart had bleed for and sought to take in for all those long years of waiting for his return to her side. The Venus fell into the darkness of her own solitude and pain, and left the world alone to move on without her if she could leave it at that. Maybe it was for the best of all things, she seemed to think. Just to fulfill the duties required of her and then return, alone, to the coldness of the bottle and an empty bed. Yet now, looking outside her window, it hurt the more to see the leaves change into the colors she once loved to walk in with his arm around her waist, a hidden smile of crimson kisses, her name whispered by his lips they pressed to her skin in heated rooms of dark. And the day they first met in which he gave her a birthday, a day all her own...Gin...

Yet one young male knew the real cause of this break down of his friend and Lieutenant; Hitusyaga Toushiro. He was no fool in this matter, nor was he ignorant of the bond the pair had shared in their younger days, till Gin had become the Lieutenant of Aizen later in his path. Yet it seemed to the boy's understanding that they had remained close even in those days till Gin became a taicho of the third and Matsumoto the Lieutenant of the tenth, before he had come into the ranks as the fourth seat back then. He had seen more then once her back as it slipped away at the break of dawn from the thirds house, but soon he saw this also start to wane till he no longer spotted her female form slipping from the shadows to her personal rooms.

Something had happened to cause the pair to spill as he became the new captain of the tenth. He knew not what it might have been or the reasons for their bond to just break in such a fashion after being together as long as they had. Somehow it made him look back on his own bound with Momo, and how close that was to breaking, his friendship with the former fifth Lieutenant, Momo Hinamori. She was still trapped in the illusion that Aizen had been a man of honor, and had had his reasons for nearly killing off the shinigami and those on earth for his sick views on his place in heaven. It had broken his spirit to see her like this... Hitusyaga could only spend so much time with the girl who now lived in the care of the forth night and day to keep her from killing herself as she nearly had a few months ago. How cruel could fate be to his childhood friend anymore then it had...or to the other woman who now seemed lost...he wanted to help them both but one seemed to need it more than the other...which one??


	2. Weep not?

Bleach belongs to the person who made it and drew it and well made it! I would also like to thank Haruka-Hime for being my Beta reader on this story! Thank you! Also this chapter is made for my friend windlily (read her stuff ppl! It just rocks!) My good friend on gaiaonline and real life Altern and also my main man; Kiro Akikaze. Ya keep me laughing dude!

Weep not, child,

Weep not, my darling,

With these kisses let me remove your tears;

Walt Whitman - On the Beach at Night.

Day of September 29th: Chapter One

He found himself missing something more than normal today, it escaped his icy and clear mind all the more as the dawn broke once more to the land. Hitsugaya Toushirou, captain of the Tenth Devision, could not place his figure on it and it bothered the young man more then ever. His teal eyes had been staring at the same paper for the last half hour and he couldn't concentrate enough to get any work done.

By now most of this mountain of paper work would become a mole hill at his rigged pace, but not today of all things. Something lingered on his mind and kept on turning around in an endless loop like the ice ring of Hyourinmaru. Today not even the dragon could give him an insight in to his own mind. It bothered the young captain more and more as his brush tapped in time to the clock in his office. What was missing? What seemed out of place? His day had been normal so far, never straying in the repetitive routine he lived by.

What was it?

He scowled more then normal, his cheek cupped open palm in his left hand as the tapping of the brush now seemed to stop dead as the clock rang out, marking the ten pmwith a light chime. The thing had been gift from Orihime before they left the real world after the girl had been saved from the monster known as Aizen. It was a simple gift, but she had smiled through her tears when giving it to him. Personally he liked the way it sounded in the empty office and how it gave some life to the bare place.

"Damn, I am letting my mind wander when there is work to be done!" he spoke to the Dragon deep in his soul who only seemed to agree with his partner and sent an idea to the frustrated captain. "Your right, maybe a walk will clear my head a bit and wake me up Hyourinmaru."

Pulling his body from the chair, he couldn't help but smile at the change in the last year after the war had ended. He was finally growing up after so long suck in the body of a child. It was relief to him to be not just be stuck in the ranks of the boy genius his whole life, being scorned by others for his size, and having treated like a child by all the other captains. _Seems height did carry respect _he thought amidst his moments of reflections of being teased for his size.

Still, the Captain of the 13th Devision, Ukitake, did still slip him a candy bar now and then just to keep up the inside joke between the two white haired shinigami's. Hitsuyaga took it mostly out of the politeness and often just gave it away to the little pink haired Lieutenant of the 11th Devision when she would come over searching for what she knew he had in his desk.

It worked out for all three of them, so why mess up a good thing while it lasted? As he moved, cracks sounded from his back, caused by sitting for a long period of time with little movement and drew a groan from him. Yes a walk would be good to get his mind on things and to keep it from wandering.

After the seasons of winter in the cold that was his, fall was the runner up for the young man. It was the colors that got him, everywhere the trees seemed painted in the glory of the sun's shades like a sunset. Hitsuyaga let his face break into an easy going smile that many thought was not possible for him. It's not like he always scowled all the time, he could in fact show a range of emotions then just as Matsumoto once said "grumpy". His thoughts on the woman broke the warmth in his heart a little. He missed her.

Rangiku had been staying away from the office more then normal this week and he had to wonder why. It seemed so empty with out her there to tease the young captain or her sweet berating to fill the air as he did his work. Hitsuyaga missed that about her after she started changing eight months ago. Had it been only 8 months from the end of the Winter War in their world that almost turned bad if not for the substitute shinigami who rushed in to deal the last blow to Aizen along with Yamamoto-Genryusai Shigekuni and himself after killing Ichimaru Gin and helping Zaraki Kenpachi with Tosan in the end of things.

His frown deepened, the killing of the sly faced had left him empty of the anger he had carried for so long and hard. Yet it was the look on her Venus like face Matsumoto known only as the human name of that made him feel guilty of all things for killing that man and riding the world of him. Afterwards while he was healing in 4th Devision, Hitsugaya had time to realize how close they had been, much like him and Momo once long ago.

Signing, his feet stopped under one of them many trees. Was that the reason she dared not hold his gaze? Not smiling at him in the way she had? Hugging his once small frame to her body and loving his frantic yells to be release from her cage of arms? Was the death of that man the reasons for her pain? "Damn you Gin, even after you are gone, you still hurt those I hold close!" It all made sense now in his mind of the real trouble that plagued his friend and Lieutenant for the last year after the war.

"I need to talk to her." he spoke to the dragon in his zanpakuto; the dragon seemed to growl softer in his answer to the young man. "I know. I should have done this a long time ago Hyorinmaru, but so much happened in the War... I lost track of everything else but my duties as a captain, but I might have also lost her to if it's not to late..."

Hitsuyaga combed his hair wit his fingers, deep in thought about how to do this. He was a genius when it came to fighting and the shinigami arts, he needed to be a captain at so young an age. Woman were a new thing to him and frankly they scared him more then facing Aizen had at this time in his life. One woman more then others at this point, yet he needed her more then ever during these times after the War ended. His white crown caught the suns light for a moment as he stood in the scent of the fall around him, leaving him wanted for the scent of honey to sound his mind in comfort.

He remembered the moment his eyes had opened to her; Matsumoto had fallen sleeping by his bed side, her blond hair following in a river of silky tallies looking so soft he had dared to touch them just to fell the texture. The soft cheek bones were tearing stained and a bit red from crying or sleeping on her cheeks, her breathing was light and sound and he felt the warmth of her skin holding his hand like it was glass in that cold break at her touch. Something in his heart skipped a beat seeing her stay by his side while he wandered in his dreams of blood and gore.

Hitsuyaga had called her name in the room, those cornflower eyes fluttering open to meet his, and it was enough for him to speak or her. A soft fire hit his forehead as rain fell bout him in tears, her lips pressed to the skin of his forehead while the silver locks had been pushed back. It had been enough for them in that moment.

Had it been?

Something had changed inside of him also in the moment, stirring something deep his body and heart. What was it? He felt it now thinking of her. Where was Matsumoto? He wanted to see that soft knowing smile she just gave him, her eyes taking him in for which he was not. Not the title of captain or the genius they all pushed his life to form; to her he just Hitsuyaga Toushiro. Even with Momo he was not that person she wanted him to be, also Aizen in her mind in some ways or how he acted. 'Where are you Matsumoto?" he longed for her more then normal as the weeks had turned to fall around him and his time of work...

For a moment he could see her in his mind, laying there on the road in his office after a night of drinking away her memories or hanging with fiends like she always did. Her hair softly falling over the pillow, the moonlight dancing over her skin as it fell from the window, lips that he so longed to kiss curved in a smile. Those sublet cheeks that ended in a small and curved chin she often lay her hand softly on when staring at him with those eyes of hers. Even her nose was perfect in his view. Her body was portioned perfectly and her every movement was so much like feline her blade was named for.

Hitsuyaga was pulled away from his day dream for a moment with someone calling his name. "Hitsuyaga-taicho!"

Turning for a moment to meet one of the seats of the Eleventh; Ikkaku the 3rd seat. The fighter seemed a bit upset for some reason, his tone of voice was rushed and his harsh breathing made it seem as if he had been running. Very few things brought on this look with Ikkaku. The bald man seemed bewildered as his eyes locked on the captain of the tenth once more after leaning on his knees for a moment.

"What is it?" Hitsuyaga asked a bit coldly, more then he wanted to sound but his mind was on other things at the moment.

Ikkaku stood straight up for a moment, locking hard eyes with the Ice Wielder "Matsumoto is in the forth, they found her in the thirds court yard! Her wrist had been slit by her own doing, Sir! You need to hurry!"

He could only stare at the third seat of the eleven as if he had grown a second head with horns emerging from the skull. Why? Matsumoto would never do something like that or even think of it. Hitsuyaga felt surreal of as the words sank into his mind while his body froze on the stone walk way, leaves falling around him in the warm breeze that suddenly seemed so cold all of a sudden. Why? It didn't make any sense to his mind why she would try something as pointless as taking her own life...

Ikkaku could only wait for a moment while he too took in his message to the young man, shock so open it hurt to watch that handsome face change from one thought to their other. "Sir, you should head to the forth right away..." his voice was softer then normal, reaching out to the young man to get him to move on and head to were he was needed the most at this moment.

"Yes,Yes.." the tenth taicho voice was stone in the wind, his body blurring for a moment as he used the flash step known as shunpo to reach the forth in a matter of moments. His mind racing over and over of why she would do such a thing in the first place. Only one name came to his mind and her strange acting these pass months…


	3. Love Not?

Notes: Thanks to Haruka-Hime for being my beta!

Speech after long silence; it is right,  
All other lovers being estranged or dead,  
Unfriendly lamplight hid under its shade,  
The curtains drawn upon unfriendly night,  
That we descant and yet again descant  
Upon the supreme theme of Art and Song:  
Bodily decrepitude is wisdom; young  
We loved each other and were ignorant  
After Long Silence  
William Bulter Yeats

Day of September 29th  
Evening

How frail was the alabaster skin under the lamps warm light to his eyes. Everything seemed wrong in this picture that was frame by the door frame as he stood in the door way of the room. How wrong was it for her to be here now? Laying ever so still and wrapped in a robe that was whiter then her skin at this point. Were eyes had been once full of a vivid pulse of life now lay closed from the light of the room? How could such a light be taken from her like this? Even her once lushes hair that seemed a fall of liquid gold now did not shine at all as it once had in the sun light, set aflame round her in battles like some avenging angel's halo. Everything of the once living fire that was Matsumoto Rangiku had gone out from this place and him.

Hitsugaya felt the settlement of disbelief filling his mind at once at this scene in wooden frames. Limbs had frozen in place just as his breathe tried to fill his lungs from an onslaught of heaves that might take control of his body. Everything seemed so wrong with this picture of his Litunite just laying in the hospitable bed as if in some deep sleep. Yet the proof of her actions could seen scene on the white wraps on the wrist of each arm, darkened by the leaking blood that slipped between the stitches in her flesh. Teal eyes could only stare helplessly at the dark spots as the cold shock filled his nerves and left , a comical expression on the normally composed mask he kept up to the world save for her. Such raw emotions rippled deeply in the depths of those penetrating orbs at seeing this in the reality he was trying to hope was not real but a nightmare from some long ago lost child hood.

Yet it was real and stood there just outside the door way of this scene that fate played cruelly in front of him. Something felt odd by this for the moment as he fought his mind to make his feet walk to the bed side of the sleeping Venus but it refused. It was the shield of shock that let his brilliant mind form some kind of theory for this but it was smashed in moments any web of reasons might recognize at all. It had to be all wrong for this to happen now. Hitsugaya might have not moved for minuets to hours if a warm hand gentle found his shoulders to take his stoned gaze from the laying woman to a deep pool of ebony and a true understanding of how he felt at the moment more then he did. A perfume of sunflowers in spring reached him and held his body, a scent of a mother maybe? Who could this person be? An answer came in the form of a name many knew and took to their hearts. Only one such woman held such a hum of gentle power and wisdom no man could ever hope to reach in his days; Retsu Unohana, the harmony keeper of the Court and Taicho of the Forth.

"Histugaya-taicho, would you like some tea?" her voice was quite like a spring wind to melt the snows to him.

He let her gentle take his arm and lead him away from the source of his shock to a small room covered in flowers of every kind. It was well know the gentle Lady grew flowers for her own joy and to bring color into this place when the snows came to the world. One single rose lay painted in pink on the white glass, dainty and cute. Unohana only moved round the table to grab an already warmed tea and pour the bronze colored liquid into the cups for two people. Smiling all the same as she did with anyone that came to her good care for healing or to visit the older woman on such days as this where a friend was needed She sat down for the moment to look at the green eyed teenager and her smile was whisked away at the shallow light in those lively eyes she knew.

Sipping the tea as if pulled only by the memory of his times pass like a machine of some kind. Hitsugaya only acted the part of drinking the tea, his mind far away from this warm room and the heavy gaze of his fellow shinigami and Taicho of the Pure Courts. She in turn took a sip as he did but one hand reached out to hold his cold one on the timeless table. "She will recover Hitsugaya."

Looking up in a state of bewilder meant, nothing escaped his lips at her words for the moment. "Why?" his alto brass voice choking on the words as if they were shards of glass in his throat. "Why did she do it?"

How to answer the loss young man who seemed to cast of the years of adult and warrior to hurt child in front of her in just those few words. Ebony eyes closed to his own for the moment as it seemed search for the reasons why. In how to bring some comfort to the boy in some degree at least if only she could. "Only she can tell you when she wakes up Hitsugaya."

It was the only answer she could give the youthful Taicho as this point of the story as it was written down page by page by fate. A body leaned into chair as if it was weighed down by chains of some kind no one could see. Hands that held both sword and pen covered the face of a fallen man from the world or hide the naked sorrow that lay under the skin of him. These words did not bring the comfort she had wished but it was something at least to bring the shock down and face the truth that was kept in the darkness of one mind of sleeping Venus. Only she could tell shattered youth the why of her actions.

How unreal his world seemed more and darker with out now at his side. Was he still so much of a child to let this happen to her as it did before with his childhood friend. Even thinking of the once bright girl called Hinamori Momo caused an ache in his heart and caused the wound in it to bleed unseen by the eyes of world that watched him. Strangely, one pair of those eyes did see the wound and wished with all power she had to power to heal this problem for both him and the sleeping woman so close.

"How did they find her?" Hitsugaya asked, empty in his tone to her for the moment. Daring not look at the Healer for fear of her expression to his question might not be the best of news.

Sighing softly, Unohana had known this would come up. "They found Rangiku-sama in the garden of the Third, passed out and having used her own blade to cut her wrist near the pound. It was Kira-san who found her in time to get to her forth and I sentIkkaku who was dropping off some paper work to find out and tell you. She lost a lot of blood but it was lucky we healed her in time and started blood transfers the moment we got her into the forth. Physical, she is fine but it the mental that I worry on when she wakes Hitsugaya-sama. She will need you more then ever now."

Need him? If she had needed him so much, would she have done this? Bitterness filled his tongue as he bite deep into the flesh of his inner lip on this thought. Why would she do this? It ran around his mind like some twister of nature over and over just never to stop. For being one of the so song hero's and savior of this place, his power meant nothing if he could not protect those close to his heart and read. Was he too late to save her again? How many times would he be to late as before? Laughter might have pulled at his voice but his face was sober in the bleak truth unrolling before him.

Peeking up from the shroud of his hair, he met her eyes in question. "How?"

"I am unsure of how to respond until she is awake Hitsugaya-sama. We can only wait and see how it plays out. She maybe will be fine or not. It is hard to tell at this time but be ready for anything is the only thing I can truly tell you." Unohana seemed to whisper but it filled the room in each world.

Standing up, he only walked to the door for the moment. "Thank you."

Watching him leave left her heart weeping at the nakedness she has seen displayed so openly now. Gone had been the mask of a captain to be replaced with a young man lost and alone in the world. Seeking some one to protect and expect him with out question as Matsumoto had from day one of the pairing of those two. Hearing of their fights to the untold loyally the older woman displayed to her captain and no one else. Some of those higher had come into question if the said woman would be s spy for Gin due to their bound as children. Rumors spread she was spy and would in the end go to the traitor. Many of them were quieted by Matsumoto's friends soon after they the lips of the gossip. To even think she would do a thing or think of doing it was heresy.

"Please, may those two be well in the coming days of peace for how long they last." Unohana prayed to any kami's listening at this moment or watched a young man walk away.

Hitsugaya only found himself to stand at the door of Matsumoto's room. Listening to her frail breathing and the click of the machines at work in a beat, staring only to fight not to take her away from this damn place. To watch and protect her as he has done from day one of their meeting that seemed not so long ago to him. Lost in he memory for the moment of that meeting in the Office of where they had first met that day.

_"Your my new captain? Did they run out of good looking men at the school again? Your too young and cute looking to be my captain!" she had said, looking him up and down with arms on those goddess hips_

"Do I have to prove I am your captain?" Hitsugaya growled, glaring at this woman.

"Maybe captain, but the kind of proof? A real captain can drink me under the table and our last one did but I don't think its legal for those under 100 to drink!" laughter purred in her tones as she only patted him on the head and left. With him following and growling all the same which soon became the normal for those two of the tenth.

Days filled paperwork and chasing down her drunken ass from bar to bar. Days filled with her trying to make him loosen up with sweets and jokes only to be hit in the head by a paper ball of his hands. Being dragged out on sunny days for a walk or a late lunch on the hill tops or roof to watch the sunset. Matsumoto never asked anything of him in truth that whole time but a simple smile. Trying her best to drag it out of the young man at the times it seems he needed to smile at the world. Only more when rolling her eyes and smirking when got her way with him. Hitsugaya still wondered how she got so far with him even now.

His heart ached for those simple days. Missing them all the more with the breaking of the Winter War like some grand storm on their Hating the hidden pain in her eyes and lost of laughter from her lips in knowing who she would fight maybe. "I will protect you this time. I promise!" It would be a promise he intended to keep.


	4. Bad News

Note: A lot of this chapter is filler till the story gets going along in the next few weeks but I wanted to bring out a few of the other captains and let them have a bit of spot light. A few were ooc but it's a fanfiction so it ok a little with this story! Thanks for ready! Props to Hime one more for a out of the world beta reader!

_When first we met she seemed so white  
I feared her;  
As one might near a spirit bright  
I neared her;  
An angel pure from heaven above  
I dreamed her,  
And far too good for human love  
I deemed her.  
A spirit free from mortal taint  
I thought her,  
And incense as unto a saint  
I brought her.  
Lost Angel-Ellis Parker_

Day of October 2ed  
Three days after the 9/29th

Time had ached so slowly by as he watched the hands of the grandmother clock away once more in his office. Paper work had left undone and formed piles around his desk. Few who looked in on the tenth Captain knew his mind was away from work and on a woman who lay still sleeping. Wondering if she would wake up and tell him why, wondering if when she opened those bright pools, if she would be them same bouncy soul full of mystery. All these thoughts run through his mind as the clock ticked away and the sun would set at the beginning of each new night. Knowing full well how humans felt time now on their souls. It was weight he had lost in being a shinigami and now gained by this event in his life. Hitsugaya would watch that clock with a mix of anger in his eyes.

Why did it have to be her? Of all people to be caught in the taint of Gin, why her of all people he had touched? His fingers clenching the pen so tightly it cracked from the pressure alone. Nothing could keep away those dark patterns from his mind. No comfort could drive away that image of Matsumoto lying so still in that bed, looking so frail as if to shatter at any touch. He hated it! All of it!

A normally Captains' meeting that had become weekly with the start of the Winter War and had been kept up to keep an eye on the Captains of the Court. Over seeing the transitions of the three new captains and make sure their world ran smoothly as it had for most of all time. He found them to empty threats and talk as always but this one was different.

Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai was as always gruff in his voice and kept the leash tight by his words alone on the captains. Even with his eyes closed, it felt like he was burning away the layers of a person. Using the keen mind to keep up with the traitor and out move him in the end and take the war for their side in those last moments. Never really drawing out the full power of his fire based zanpakuto; Ryūjin Jakka. Only have to use the release twice of the blade in the face off with the Hollow forces to Hitsugaya's memory.

"We will start on addressing a sensitive topic in whichUnohana-sama had informed of three days ago." his voice was gruff and left no room for any backtalk as normal.

Hitsugaya felt his back tense. This was something he had hoped would stay private, not only for Mats and the Tenth Division. Why should others get involved with such matters like this? Rage burned cold deep in his stomach and a small sense of betrayal from the mother like figure of the Forth. Maybe she had been forced to tell the old man about the subject. It made sense any major events related the leaders of the Gotai 13 had to be reported to the Commander. Then why did he have to share so openly with everyone like this? Reeling back the lash of words that threaten to spill out from the clenched jaw of the young man at the moment those words had spoken into the open of the hall meeting.

Yamamoto had locked on him when he started to speak, hinting not to say anything at all. "It has been made known to me that Matsumoto Rangiku tried to take her own life."

Stillness covered the room of this news, a few eyes glanced the Tenth's Captains way but he chooses to keep his eyes in front. Ukitake felt a way of sympathy for the teenager at having this made to public. Personally he felt his former teacher was making a bad move to make this issue so open for both the sleeping woman and Hitsugaya. He understood not only how close the two had become as Captain and Lieutenant but also as close friends all these years.

"Unohana-sama has kept me informed of Matsumoto's process and that her life in not any danger any more. Yet it is unknown if or when she will awaken in the near weeks. So I would like all diversions except the tenth to over look seats 3 to 10 for any possible replaces for the Lieutenant spot of the tenth." he announced.

"What? How can you do that to Matusmoto?" His masked cracked, anger lacing his voice as the words poured out. "She's just some piece of trash you can throw out! You didn't even ask me or talk to me on this as well and this has nothing to do with any of the other squads at all"!

Air cracked from the sudden chill attacking the armament from Hitsugaya's sudden out rage at this move made by the old man. Wishing more then anything to draw his blade and attack him for this event. They were treating Matsumoto like she was already dead. Hitsugaya only felt some one grab his shoulder as he took a step forward from the line. Ukitake had reached out a warm hand to bring the young man back to his position and to keep him from doing something in a moment of poor judgment. Yamamoto kept his face blank but offense was evident in the steady gaze he held on the silver hair captain.

"Hitsugaya Toshiro, captain of the tenth. You will remember who and what you are and conduct yourself like a captain of this Court. I will not have you acting like some out of control child with a broken toy in this meeting or you will be thrown out and put up on charges of disorderly conduct." The firm tone of the old man spoke with steel in his words. "Now back off."

No talk back came from the threat but he backed off for the moment. How could they do this? All the other captains save two held the same feelings but one voice purposely did calm everyone down.

"General Sir, why do we not wait for this till the three new captains have settled into their new post? Our first item should to make sure they can do their own duties and that their squads run well before we attack this subject. " Soi Fon stepped out of line, calmly looking at the Commander.

He took a long breathe, finding truth in the Special Ops Leader words. It made more sense to do things this way before moving on to this event. "Alright, in two weeks we will meet on this subject. Untill then, all of you are dismissed!" His staff hitting the wooden floor as the sign to leave the meeting hall at once.

All captains left the room in a tense silence from the events of the past thee days. One young captain rushed out of the room with out even a glare to the old man as he might have before the Winter War.

"How can he do this to us? To Matusmoto? She had to prove herself more then most with her connections with Gin! Going out more and fighting harder to prove she was loyal to us and not him! How many times did I have to speak up to other shinigami of her innocent! How dare he do this to us, to me!" Thoughts broke in his mind like a wave. It made no sense the old man would move like this unless he thought Matusmoto won't wake up and just die! "I'll resign before I ever take a new Lieutenant! I hate this place! The only reason I become a shinigami was to control my powers and protect Momo. With out Matusmoto now, I have no real reason to even stay here!"

He could only bit his inner left cheek as he made the long trek back the office of the Tenth once more. Walking helped to clear his mind for the while before taking a new way to the forth. He had to talk to the Fourth's Captain of why she had told that old bastard anything. Hitsugaya wanted to know everything she knew and her reasons and it had better be one hell of a good one! Was it really her fault? The leashes of the captain's neck had been made shorter by the room 49 in last months. Any copies of any filing from basic food needs to hollow attacks went to them for review. The Special Ops had any right now to invade a Squad and search all rooms and personal things. Hitsugaya now understood the human's worlds saying of "Big Brother is watching." It left a gap of trust between the shinigami and their leaders more then ever, even the captains had said this was going to far more then once to the old man. Only to have more empty reasons or orders thrown back at them for the tighten conduct's on all of them, Soi Fon supremely had spoken out more the normal at these orders on how they used her men for such empty raids for nothing.

Upon entering the forth and heading to the personal office of Unohana-sama, he sensed the energy of the few other captains with her. Why would they be hearing? He sealed his own aura to hide and listen to a few words he might pick up for some clues before entering the room. Ease dropping was not his normal style but it helped sometimes in situations like this to know some things before coming in on a talk of any kind.

"Why would the old man just pull this out of the blue with the Tenth? It makes no sense at all?" Shunsui's deep voice rang out from the room, sounding mad for once. "It was in bad taste if you ask me to do that to the Hitsugaya-sama.

A deep, softer sigh was release by the 13th captain by his friends point. "I know Shunsui, I can't figure out why he would do that to him. This is private matter and if it was going to be this way. Yamamto-sama should have talked privately to Hitsugaya in the first place before the meeting even happened to prepare him for the idea"

"I talked with Soi Fon after the meeting for a moment and she believes there is something more the Commander is not telling us. He had summoned me the day after they found Rangiku-san and asked some very in depth questions of where they had found the poor woman and all medical reports to do with her. Along with how Hitsugaya-Taicho was acting due to the events the last few times I had spoken to him." Unohana's soft voice fell to the two other men. "He had be turn in all my hard copies of my reports. After that, I was sent back to the Fourth but to report anything new to him personally and of any other meetings with Hitsugaya-sama. "

"So why is he so interesting when it comes to this? Why push for new lieutenant for the Tenth with out talking to Shiro in the first place? Something is going on he is not telling anyone or maybe could it be the 49th's hand at work on this one? If you take into fact in how they have been watching us lately." Shunsui spoke solemn for first on this subject.

"We won't know and it might be better if we keep a low head till things settle a little before we ask too many questions. It might things look bad for Hitsugaya and Matsumoto if we push this also. We have to protect them as best we can as captains and friends." Ukitake soft tenor put all other arguments to rest for the night.

Hitsugaya felt a pull of friendship to these three then any other captains in the Court. They wanted to help him and protect Matusmoto at the same time as much as they could with how things were playing out. Slowly pulling away from the voices of his fellow captains as they drifted on to other major topics of the Court. Those three had always backed him up on issues before like this or said something in his favorite from day one of him taking rank with them. How could he think they would just side with the old basterd? Smiling a little for the first time in days if felt. To have friends was something he still took for granted after his lonely youth in the Towns and the Shinigami School. Feeling warm and welcomed for was alien note in his soul he had shared with Momo and the grandmother long gone from this world now. Matsumoto had been the single key to open that door for him.

Sliding down to sit in the wooden chair next to the Venus, over looking her frail aura with a frown still on his face. "I'll wait for you to wake up and I won't leave your side Matsumoto. I promise I will never take a new Lit also. No matter what they say or tell me to do. Even it means I have to step down as a captain to show them my point."

It was a heavy oath to make but to him it was the only way he could live with himself at this point. Maybe he could be like one certain mad blond and black cat and take to living in the human world. Would she come with him if he asks? It was doubtful if she would stay with the shinigami after all this, but would she go with him? Hitsugaya could only wish she would wake up and tell him, hoping like a child she would take his hand and leave all this behind them now. It was a forlorn hope, a child's dream but right now it was the only thing he could hold to right now.


End file.
